When people move into a new dwelling or office, they often want to mount to one or more walls objects such as framed pictures, diplomas or certificates of generally rectangular shape, or oddly shaped objects such as decorative clocks and the like. They may even want to mount equipment such as fans, chandeliers, or track lighting to a ceiling, or a can opener underneath a kitchen cabinet. Such objects are typically of known shape and size and have optimum locations at which they should receive support. Elements or structural features to receive such support are usually provided on the objects by the manufacturers.
It is natural to want to locate such objects harmoniously with each other and with features like windows, furniture and light switches and with areas having different textures, e.g., partially wallpapered or brick-veneered walls. Most people have trouble deciding where individual objects are best located, and usually settle on a less than totally satisfactory solution. Even with pictures of standardized shapes and sizes it is very hard to finally line them up with each other accurately and harmoniously. This happens because, even for skilled engineers, it is quite difficult to accurately locate a nail or screw to mount each object as intended. Most people use a measuring tape or a yardstick to decide where to make marks on the surface where the nails or screws are to be driven to support each object.
The objects are first individually held up and moved around by a friend or colleague, while the person trying to locate each object tries to visualize and remember how the individual objects are meant to be located. For most people, even this is a difficult task. In addition, sometimes a surface cannot be marked properly, e.g., if it is a brick-veneered wall, has flocked wall paper, or has an expensive or fragile covering such as silk or straw. Support surfaces such as ceilings may also be hard to reach or may be sloping.
Clearly there exists a need for a system and a method, for use by an average person possessing only basic tools and measuring devices and finite patience, to accurately locate and mount on various support surfaces a plurality of objects each of known shape and size. Such a person should be enabled by this invention to comfortably visualize how a number of objects will fit into their surroundings and with each other and to quickly and accurately affix elements such as nails or screws to mount the objects as desired.